Royal Delimma
by satis is satis
Summary: Girl forced to marry guy, but she HATES him!
1. Prolouge

(Prologue)   
Since I was little I had known I was to marry Prince Jacob Rupert the Third. Our countries had been enemies for over 100 years and our parents had decided that the best way to make peace was to combine the two kingdoms. I was the only child in my family and Jacob was the same age as me.  
In all truth, I could not stand him. He was immature for 17 (although aren't all guy's,) and in all the stories I had heard about him, he was rude and selfish. I had actually met him once myself, when we were about eight, and he and his friends had called me so many horrid names. After that I had spent the time until I was 12 trying to talk my parents out of this arranged marriage thing.   
I guess you may need to know a little more about me. I am Princess Kathryn Renaldo, and I am 17. My father is Christopher Renaldo and my mother is Catalina Renaldo. We are the rulers of Marid, while Jacob's family is the monarchy of Swell's. Our countries are surprisingly close together, in fact just across the small river Cassiopeia. That was probably the reason our parents were so worried abut making peace. If one country ever decided to attack, it would be quite easy. The whole reason our countries were even opposing was because over 100 years ago the king of Marid had not sided with the Swellish king in a small land squabble. Anyway, that is where my story really begins. I was 17 and to marry Jacob Rupert to end the hatred between our countries. My mother was constantly telling me that it would not be that bad, because Jacob was a "stud" as she said. She did not seem to care that he was an unscrupulous person, as long as he was hot.   



	2. Pranks

. (Chapter 1)   
I was just reading in my room when a maid came in and told me that my mother wanted to see me in the downstairs sitting room. I followed the maid, named Claire, to where my mother was. When I walked in, my mom gave me a hug, and told me to sit down. "Kathryn, dear," she said in her overly excited manner, "I have the best news!" I knew at that point that something not too good was going to happen. I love my mother dearly, but when she thinks it is wonderful, it is usually not. I hesitantly asked her what was so wonderful. "Corrina has asked you to come to dinner," my mother said, meaning the Queen of Swells, "She says Jacob has said he wishes to discuss something with you." The exact thought going through my mind was, "Oh that is fantastic," but of course I did not say that. Instead I said, "Are we all going?" "No dear" she said looking a little wounded," She only invited you" I felt even worse at this news. I was sure I would not be able to stand the royal family of Swells alone. My mom gave me a small kiss on the cheek, which was her form of dismissal. I got up and left to go to my room. As soon as I got there a maid came and told me that mother had said that Queen Rupert suggested I dressed casually. That was good for me. I hated dressing up. A while later another maid came and told me that my mom wanted me down in 15 minutes. I put on the outfit I had laid out, and went downstairs. After my mom gave me the once over I was gone.   
  
As I said before, our countries were unexpectedly close together, so it only took me about twenty minutes to get there. When I got there, a man was waiting on the steps leading up to the castle. As I got out of the high security limo my father insisted that I use, the man walked down the steps.  
  
He came up to me, and offered me his arm, as an escort would. When we got inside, a lady that I recognized as Queen Corrina came toward me. She gave me a big hug, and as she was, said, "I see you have re-met Jacob." I was stunned! That guy was Jacob Rupert the Third?I remembered him as an ugly little eight year old. He looked so much different! I stammered a yes. When Corrina was done giving me one of the biggest hugs in my life, Jacob came over to me and offered his hand for a handshake. I obliged. The queen invited me into the dining hall for supper. As we were eating I listened to the conversation. King Andrew and Jacob were having a very educated talk about the economy. I was not surprised that he (Jacob) knew so much a about such a boring topic, because in our royal lifestyles you seemed to pick up a lot of information about things like that. After dinner, which I must say was scrumptious, Queen Corrina addressed me. "Jacob would like to talk to you out in the garden," she said," He would like to discuss your looked-forward to marriage." I nodded my consent and Jacob came to my chair and pulled it out. I followed him out to their enormous garden, which the queen was famous for, and we started walking around the winding path. For a long while we were silent, until he finally said, "So, how are you?"  
  
"Oh, I am doing ok." Under my breath I muttered, "Except for the fact that I am being forced to marry someone I barely know." It should be a rule to not try to talk under your breath in a quiet place, because you will be heard. "I know how you feel," he said, and I instantly felt myself start to feel guilty for saying something that mean, but he continued, "Why do we have to give up our love lives to make peace?" Was he reading my mind? It was a bit weird, but it was also kind of funny. "I want peace," I agreed, "But there must be another way to achieve that." "Exactly!" he laughed.   
We continued on to have a conversation about how unfair it was. At some point we found a bench and sat down. Jacob and I were having a nice conversation, but then, being a guy, he ruined it. "You want to know something?" he asked me. "Sure" I said. I was expecting something to the effect that he had a girlfriend, and was mad he was going to have to leave her for me. But of course it could not be something that simple. "I kind of actually do like you." He said looking a little guilty. I am not and was not an idiot; I knew something was wrong there from the look on his face. If he was being serious he would of looked shy. Or nervous, or maybe a little uncomfortable, but Jacob looked GUILTY!   
"For some reason I do not believe that," I said calmly. My calmness was not a good sign, it was like the calm before a storm. His look became even more guilty looking, so I continued. "I am smart enough to figure out when I am being messed with, and that is one thing that I will not stand for. If you are lying, or anything of that sort, tell me now." His look was so guilt- ridden at this point that there was no denying the fact he was lying. At the same moment that these thoughts were going through my mind, two boys that also looked our age stepped out from behind a nearby bush and tree.  
"Jacob man," one said, "You are such a bad liar that it's not even funny!" The other one was laughing his head off, but stopped for a second to add," You could not have gotten it past her anyway, she can see right through you." I took all this in, looked at Jacob, whose face was somewhere between smiling and looking contrite, and then his two friends, who were busy laughing. I stood up, turned on my heel and stalked out of the garden. Jacob started to follow me, but I thought I lost him.   
Once I was back in the castle, I found the queen and king in their sitting room, bid them goodbye, and went out to my limo. Jacob ran up just before I got in. "I am sorry," he said," We just wanted to see your reaction." I looked at him and said," And was it good enough for you." He did not say anything, so I continued by saying, "I do not like to be lied to or messed with, ok? It is one of the quickest ways to get on to my bad side. And guess what side you are on now?" He decided to put his two cents in by saying, "It was a joke! You really need to lighten up a little." "I need to lighten up? We are going to be a king and a queen someday soon!" I was almost shouting, "We will be ruling countries! We can not be playing around like this. We have to be serious!Not play tricks on people!"   
He responded with a glare, and said, "That point is not here yet, we should have our young lives while it is still possible." I was now full fledged screaming, "How much of a young life do you actually think we have had, that we need to hang on to? For example: you conversation with your father during supper. How many 'regular' 17 year old know about that kind of stuff?" He looked almost miserable when he whispered, "I want what little I have had, including playing pranks with my friends,"   
"You'r lucky you had friendships at all," I said forgetting that I would probably not want him to know this bit of information, "I have been treated like a leper." He looked a bit shocked, and I realized what I had said. I blushed, and immediately got into the limo, slammed the door, and the driver pulled out.   
I know that it does not seem like that big of a deal that I had told him that, but I will later explain why it was. I thought about what he had done to me on the way home, and the more I thought the more livid I became. What right did he have to do that to me? I had never done anything to him! The next day he tried calling me on the phone. I just picked up the receiver and put it back down.  
  



	3. Phone Calls

(Chapter 2) I tried ignoring him, but he ended up getting to me. After the 400th call (exaggerating of course) I had to pick up the darn phone. In a mono-tone voice I answered, "Hello?" For a split second there was stunned silence, then Jacob's voice said," Kathryn? Is this you?" "Yea," I said, "Who else would it be?" He ranted about how I had not been answering my phone, and I told him it was because I knew it was him. "That is not very polite," he said, "Not at all royal." "What do you want," I interrupted. He went into a long winded discussion about how sorry he was, and how he wanted my forgiveness. "Why should I forgive you?" I challenged. "Because someday soon we will be married," he stated," and we need to be on at least speaking terms if it is to be bearable." He had a good point. It was not fair! Why couldn't he be mean and hateful and stupid? That way I could just ignore him. After a little while I forgave him. We kept talking about odds and ends for quite a while. Three hours later, we finally hung up. We had talked about royal life, and how non-royals felt. Then we had talked about the upcoming ball. Of course we were expected to go together. As I got ready for bed that night I thought, 'Maybe Jacob is better than I thought he was. Maybe we can actually be friends?" No, that was going to far. And with that thought I fell asleep. 


	4. The Plan

(Chapter 3) In the morning Jacob surprised me by calling again. "Hey," he said, "How do you feel?" He sounded concerned and that scared me, because I had no idea why. I cautiously asked," Feel about what?" "About our marriage! Our parents have decided we must be married within the next six month's. I was speechless, and after a minute or two of silence he said, "What are you thinking?" "That this is way too early, I am way to young, and that this is crazy and not true," I said. He assured me it was completely correct. I said bye, and hung up the phone. There was absolutely no way I was going to be married so soon. Married before eighteen! That was ridiculous. My own parents would not actually expect that of me. There was only one way to find out. I ran down the stairs, which was quite a lot of running, considering there are three flights to the bottom. I found both my parents in the sitting room, watching some news show on the TV. "Hi Kat!" my mom said, using my nickname. I did not bother to say hello back, I just said, "Tell me it is not true. Please." My father answered with an innocent, "What is not true dear." I was angry. They should know what I was talking about. This was life or death to me (not really.) "Have you two and King Andrew and Queen Corrina made up your minds that Prince Jacob and I are to be married in the next six months?" My mom smiled and said yes, but asked who had told me the "wonderful" news. I yelled, "That is not important! Do not want me here so much that you want me gone before I am eighteen. My mom answered in a totally innocent voice, "Of course not dear. We just want you to be happily married soon." "It won't BE a HAPPY marriage!" I exclaimed, "We hardly know each other, how can we be happily married?" My mom and my dad went into a rant about how they had barely known each other when they were married, and it had worked out wonderfully. They just could not accept the fact that my case was different form theirs. I finally gave up trying to talk them out of it, and went back up to my room, this time taking the elevator, for obvious reasons. When I got there, I started thinking. What was a way to get out of this? I could run away, but that was risky. One of the many downsides to being royal in a small country, everyone knows your face. I could also make him hate me. If he could not stand me, maybe his parents would let him out of the marriage, and then I would be free also. That was the best idea I could come up with so I decided to use it. That night I was again invited to have dinner in Swells. When I got there, Jacob was again waiting on the stairs. He came down to meet me, and again escorted me up to the castle. When we entered, Queen Corrina once more gave me a hug, yet not near as extreme as the last time. "How are you dear?" I answer that I was fine, and this time there was no mumbling under my breath. As we were eating dinner, Queen Corrina brought up the impending wedding. "I can not wait until you are my daughter-in-law!" she exclaimed. I smiled the biggest smile I could, and said that I was pleased she felt so, even thought that was not completely true. When we were done, Jacob asked me to go out to the garden with him again. This was the best time to start my "plan." I just hoped it would work. As we went outside, I had a deep sense of foreboding. 


	5. Guilty

(Chapter 4) He led me out to a bench. I couldn't tell if it was the same one as before. We sat I silence for a while, until out of the blue, he said, "Am I as bad as you thought?" I would of said the truth, no, he was much nicer than I thought, but I needed to start my plan. "Yes!" I said. He looked shocked, and a little hurt. "You are rude, and mean, and snobby, and egotistical. He sat there for almost a full five minutes. I was starting to feel guilty. The silence was deafening. Finally he stood up. "I am sorry you feel that way, "he said, "Since I am so rude, you will understand me not walking you out to your car. I nodded, and he went inside. I slowly made my way to the front of the castle, got in the car, and we drove off. I felt bad, I really did. I was being mean to a semi-nice guy, to suit my own purposes. The more I thought on it the worse I felt. I would have to call the next morning and apologize. It turned out there was no need. My alarm the next morning was the phone. I answered and Jacob's voice said, "Is that what you really think of me? If it is it is ok, but I want to know the real truth. I did not think I was THAT bad! Am I? "he was babbling. I could tell he felt horrible. To put him out of his misery I said, "No, that is not what I think." He was speechless for a minute. At last he said, "Then why would you say that?" I went into a huge lecture about how I was to young to marry, and that nothing against him, I just wasn't sure I wanted to marry him at all. I kept going for a very long time, until Jacob said, "Ok. I understand where you are coming from. You know what we need to do?" When I did not answer he said, "We need to get together and get to actually know each other." I agreed and Jacob said, "How about tonight," he offered. I said that was fine. After I got off the phone I stopped for a second. Had I just made a date with Jacob Rupert the Third? No, of course not. We were only going out to dinner and to talk. No date. Right? 


End file.
